Ethan's expression fell slightly.
"Then what was the point of all this?"
Irene looked at him with the calm of someone who had already thought through every version of this question.
"The point is you, Ethan." She said simply. "Your memories do not reset. Neither does Leon's. And neither does Cyan's."
She turned back toward the city.
"You three are the only ones who carry everything forward. Every loop, every piece of progress. Every mistake we made, and every step closer to the truth." She paused. "So do not rush it. Do not force it. Move slowly, move carefully. Even if it takes time, even if it takes decades. Just keep moving."
She glanced at him one more time before the timer hit zero.
"Remember our goal. We are up against one of the Five Calamities. We need to beat the bastard who put us through this hell."
Ethan gripped the prism.
Irene added, "next time, convince us to check the Akashic Record's logs."
"Iren—"
Before Ethan could ask how...
The loop reset.
